D 629 
.U6 W55 
Copy 1 



D 629 
•U6 W55 

Copy I 

State of Wisconsin ..Ka?'^ ff/eciue*.-i-, 

Department of Public Instruction 

i 

Suggestions 

ON 

ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL 
SOCIETIES 

AND 

JUNIOR RED CROSS WORK 

IN THE 

PUBLIC SCHOOLS 



Issued by 

C. P. GARY 

State Superintendent 



Madison, Wis. 
1918 






A ..; 



n, of D. 



To Superintendents and Teachers : 

One of the great problems in present day education is the effec- 
tive motivation of school work. School life has a tendency to 
become artificial and to lack that vitality which can come only 
through participation in actual affairs ,of life. The present war 
has brought about many conditions which afford opportunities 
to make the school work more vital, and it is our duty as school 
people to utilize these opportunities in every possible way. Dur- 
ing the past year the schools did much in the way of organiz- 
ing War Saving Societies and Junior Red Cross Auxiliaries. 
In many instances also the class work in geography, history, and 
civics was made more vital by the incorporation of material of 
special interest at the presen|b-'time. 

In order that we may utilize these various activities in the 
best way and organize tHem so that there may be the greatest 
possible economy of time and effort I ask you to organize this 
fall in every school, except where the children are all too small, a 
society composed of the children attending the school. This so- 
ciety will be managed by the children under the guidance of the 
teacher. The work should be managed in such a way that there 
will be the greatest possible opportunity for the development of 
initiative and originality on the part of the children. This one 
society will be the instrument through which the children will 
earry on the various phases of war work as well as other special 
activities which may be recommended by the state superintend- 
ent or county superintendent. 

Some teachers may think that this is an additional burden. 
I am sure that upon reflection they will realize that these socie- 
ties will be the means of enabling the teacher to accomplish more 
work and will ultimately enable the children to look after many 
little details of school life. After the children have become 
trained to work in groups they will be able to assist the teacher 
in doing many things and, besides, this work will be a means 
of training the children. If we get the children interested in 
doing work that has a purpose, the many willing hands will ren- 



4 ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL SOCIETIES 

der invaluable assistance in doing not only the work of the school 
])ut many tasks at home and in the community. 

It should be further noted that these societies are not to exist 
merely during the lime of the war, but that they are to continue 
as a permanent feature of the school work. After the children 
have become trained in the management of their little societies 
the regular work of the school will unquestionably become more 
efficient. It will affect the work they do in practically every 
branch they study. 

As the superintendents and supervising teachers visit the 
schools they should talk over the work with the officers and com- 
mittees of the society. I think all will realize the great influence 
that such conferences will have upon the children. If we can 
interest the children themselves in the improvement of the 
schools not only will the school work itself become more efficient 
but the chances are that in many cases the discipline will be im- 
proved. The record book should be inspected by the supervis- 
ing teacher. The work will necessitate some correspondence 
which the children will carry on Avitli the county superintend- 
ent's office and these exercises will add interest to the language 
work. 

Not only will the organization of these societies be an import- 
ant feature in the work of the schools but it will also have a 
strong influence upon the future citizenship of the state. In a 
few years the pupils who are now in the schools will be the men 
and women in charge of educational and civic affairs. The 
young people now enrolled will be the officers of the future. 
County superintendents know that it is oftentimes difficult to get 
accurate reports even on "simple matters. It sometimes happens 
that in a public gathering it is difficult to secure a person to act 
as chairman. By training the young people who are now in 
our schools we shall in a few years have in every community per- 
sons able to perform public duties. 

Some people may say that this plan will work in some communi- 
ties but not in others. Let me say that the schools in which it 
will be most difficult to organize this work are in the communities 
that need this help the most. Supervising teachers should give 
special assistance in such cases and thereby train young people 
who in a few years will be in a position to improve conditions. 
In some schools the work may be difficult because of small at- 



JUNIOR RED CROSS WORK IN PUBLIC . SCHOOLS 5 

tendance but even in such instances it is certainly possible to do 
something. 

In conclusion I wish to call attention "to the influence this work 
is going to have upon the progress of democracy itself. By giv- 
ing this training to all the children we shall aid in developing 
in the rank and file an intelligence and ability that will enable 
this country to meet the complex problems that are bound to 
come, and enable the people to solve these problems intelligently 
and effectively. 

Very truly yours, 

C. P. Gary, 
State Superinterident. 



SUGGESTIONS REGARDING THE ORGANIZATION OF 
SCHOOL SOCIETIES 

The following suggestions are given in detail for the reason that in 
.many schools the children have had no experience whatever in the or- 
ganization of societies. In schools wher.e societies have been organized 
some of the details may be superfluous. 

FIRST MEETING 

1. Explanation by the teacher as to the purpose of the society and 
the work to be accomplished: Tell the pupils that this afternoon in 
many of the schools of the state similar meetings are being held. In 
the state of Wisconsin there are over seven thousand school districts 
with more than twelve thousand schoolrooms. By organizing the 
pupils enrolled in the public schools we shall be able to do more effec- 
tive work in this time of need and, besides, we shall learn many things 
about conducting public meetings. Call the attention of the children 
to meetings that are being held, such as school meetings, town meet- 
ings, meetings of the county board, mass meetings of various kinds, 
society meetings, etc. Tell them that in the school society they are 
going to learn how meetings are conducted and in this way they are 
getting themselves ready to take part in the affairs of life. This work 
is not going to be difficult, and it is going to be interesting. They 
may be a little awkward at first just as anyone is in undertaking any- 
thing new, but after a few meetings they will be able to do the work 
well. 

Call attention to the work that is being done by the Junior Red 
Cross Auxiliary. It is the plan that this year such an organization 



6 ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL SOCIETIES 

shall be formed in every school in the state. After this school society 
has been organized, constitution adopted, and officers elected, we shall 
consider the Red Cross work and also begin the War Savings work. 

2. The following letter from Superintendent C. P. Gary Is to be 
read after the teacher has made the preliminary remarks. If possible, 
it should be read by one of the pupils. However, the teacher must use 
her judgment in this matter. In case it would be difficult to get a 
pupil to read the letter at this meeting, it may be read by the teacher. 

To the Boys and Girls of District , Town ot 

County, Wisconsin: 

I wish very much that I might be with you at your first meeting to 
talk over with you some things that are of great importance to you 
in your school work and also to the state. This, however, is impos- 
sible, as there are more than seven thousand schools in the state of 
Wisconsin. I am, therefore, writing you this letter to urge you to do 
all you can through your home and school to help the country in its 
time of need. 

First 01 all, I want to impress upon you that as American citizens 
you have not only great opportunities but great responsibilities. You 
have the opportunity to attend school and thus prepare yourselves for 
the work that you have to do in life. It is your duty as citizens to 
make the best possible use of your opportunities to secure an educa- 
tion. Learn all you can while at home and at school and make use of 
the facilities provided you by your parents and the state. Learn to 
love your country, the United States of America. Read your history. 
Sing "The Star Spangled Banner," "America," and other patriotic songs 
Keep the flag flying. Keep yourself strong and well so that you may 
be useful in the world. 

In order that the schools of the state may work together in a sys- 
tematic and effective way I have requested that a society be organized 
in every school. With such an organization you children can feel that 
you are a part of a large body working together in a great cause. 
Through your society you also can do much to train yourselves for 
active participation in public affairs. The practice you get in the 
management of your society meetings will be helpful to you when you 
attend meetings of various kinds later in life. 

The war in which we are engaged has impressed upon us the need 
of citizens who are willing to sacrifice. During the past year the chil- 
dren of the state took an active part in the sale of thrift stamps, in 
Red Cross work, and in other activities. During the coming year we 
shall continue this work and in this way help our country win the 
war. As soon as you have organized your society I suggest that you 
take up for discussion the plan of the war work for the coming year. 

All societies have a constitution and by-laws to guide them in their 
proceedings. I suggest that as soon as you have elected a temporary 
chairman and temporary secretary that you elect a committee to draw 
up a constitution. In all this work, of course, you will be guided by 
your teacher, but in every way you should do as much for yourselves 
as you can. A sample constitution which you may use as a basis for 
your work will be given you. 

There is one more matter which I wish to lay before you at this 
time and that is the importance of good school attendance during the 
coming year. A day's attendance at school means much not only to 
each one of you individually but to the school as a whole. Resolve as 
a patriotic duty that you will attend school every day you possibly can 
during the coming year and that you will try to get others to attend 
who are not present at this time. There may be in your district some 



JUNIOR RED CROSS WORK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS J 

cliildren who would come to school if some one would speak to them 
about it. Determine to make your school as good as you can in every 
possible way. 

Very truly yours, 

C. P. Caby, 
State Superintendent. 

3. Here should follow a letter from the county superintendent in 
which he gives additional suggestions regarding the work of the so- 
ciety or reenforces suggestions already made. 

4. Election of a temporary chairman: Explain to the children that 
whenever a group of people assemble in a meeting the first thing they 
do is to elect a chairman of the meeting. Any one may rise and make 
a motion for a chairman. We shall assume that Thomas Jones is one 
of the most capable pupils and that he is the one who might be chosen. 
Instruct one of the other pupils, Henry Blank, to rise and say "I make 
a motion that Thomas Jones be chairman of this meeting. Does this 
receive a second?" 

5. Tell the children that a person does not need to rise to second 
a motion. Have some one second Henry Blank's motion. Then in- 
struct Henry Blank to repeat the following: "The motion has been 
made and seconded that Thomas Jones be temporary chairman of this 
meeting. All in favor of this motion say 'Aye'; (vote taken) opposed 
'No'. The motion is carried and Thomas Jones is elected chairman." 

6. Instruct Thomas Jones to come to the front and act as presiding 
officer. Do not lose your patience if the children do not know what 
to do or act awkwardly. Tell them next that a secretary must be 
elected. Have some one rise and say "Mr. Chairman." Then have the 
chairman recognize the speaker, after which the person will say "I 

make a motion that act as temporary secretary. " 

This motion should then be seconded, after which the chairman puts 

it to the meeting: "It has been moved and seconded that 

be secretary. All in favor say 'Aye'; (after the affirmative vote has 

been taken) opposed 'No'. The motion is carried and will 

act as secretary." Instruct the secretary to come up to the desk. 

Explain to the children that all organizations keep minutes or 
records of the meetings and that it is the duty of the secretary to 
make these records. Two items are now to be entered on the minutes 
and these items may be written on the blackboard, after which the 
secretary copies them on paper. 

7. The teacher should now explain to the children the need of a 
constitution. When a society is organized a committee is appointed 
to draw up some form of constitution and the children may now pro- 
ceed to the election of such a committee. 

8. A motion should be made giving the number of members to be 
elected. 

9. The election of the members to act as a committee on constitu- 
tion. This committee should be elected in the same way that the sec- 
retary was elected. It may be well for the teacher to record the mf)- 



8 ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL SOCIETIES 

tions on the blackboard before the secretary copies them. In this way 
all the children will be benefited. The teacher should, of course, be a 
member of this committee. 

10. An announcement should be made of the time this committee 
is to meet. 

11. Adjournment: Instruct some pupil to rise and after having 
been recognized by the chair say "I make a motion that we adjourn." 
The chairman puts the motion, after which the first meeting is ad- 
journed. 



Before the second meeting is held three specific things need to be 
done: 

1. The teacher should give the secretary help in the writing up of 
the minutes. After the minutes have been written up the secretary 
should read them to the teacher in order that the reading may be well 
done at the second meeting. 

2. The committee on constitution should have a meeting to go over 
the sample constitution and adapt it to the needs of the school society. 
The first one elected on the committee is the chairman of the committee 
and this person should make the report of the committee at the second 
meeting. The teacher should have this pupil read the constitution 
before the second meeting to secure accuracy and fiuency in the read- 
ing. 

3. The teacher should plan with the chairman the second meeting. 

CONSTITUTION 

PREAMBLE. We, the pupils attending school in Dist. No . . of 

the Town of County, Wisconsin, in order to be of the 

greatest possible service to our country, state, and community, to advance 
the interests of our school, to afford added opportunities for our own educa- 
tional development, especially training for the conduct of public meetings, do 
form ourselves into a school society and adopt for our guidance this Con- 
stitution. 

ARTICLE I. Name. The name of this organization shall be The Public 

School Society of Dist. No of the Town of County, 

Wisconsin. 

ARTICLE II. Objects. The objects of this society shall be: 

1. To enable the pupils of this school to work as effectively as possible 
in aiding the government in winning the war. 

2. To help the government in other ways that may be in our power, not 
only during the period of the war, but after it has been won. 

3. To afford opportunities for developing our mental powers through 
participation in business meetings, parliamentary practice, preparation of 
programs, and the like. 

4. To enable us better as pupils to work as a group in building up our 
school and community. 

ARTICLE III. Members. 1. Any person who attends this school or who 
intends to attend the school during the year shall become a member of this 



JUNIOR RED CROSS WORK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 



society by signing tliis Constitution, provided that no person shall be enrolled 
as a member in this society while attending another school. 

2. The teaclier shall be a member of the society. 

3. Graduates from this school during the past two years shall be honorary 
members of the Society. t 

ARTICLE IV. Officers. 1. The officers of this society shall be a Presi- 
dent, a Vice President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. With the exception of 

the Treasurer, they shall be elected for a period of months (weeks) and 

shall hold their offices until their successors be elected and qualified. The 
election shall be by ballot. 

2. The President shall preside at all meetings and perform all other 
duties usually devolving upon such an officer. 

3. The Vice President shall perform the duties of the president when the 
latter is absent. 

4. The Secretary shall keep records of all meetings, carry on all corre- 
spondence of the Society and perform other duties pertaining to the office. 

5. The Teacher shall be ex officio treasurer of the Society. The Treas- 
urer shall keep all the funds of the Society and pay out money upon the 
order of the Secretary countersigned by the President. 

6. The Officers of the Society shall constitute the Executive Committee. 
The executive committee shall have charge of the general management of the 
Society and any special work delegated to it by the Society and not referred 
to any special committee. The executive committee shall also appoint all 
other committees when ordered to do so by the society. 

7. Committees to carry on special work in the Society shall be appointed 
any time during the year when it may be found necessary. 

ARTICLE V. Vacancies in any of the offices except treasurer shall be 
filled by special election at any regular meeting. Vacancies on committees 
shall be filled by the executive committee. 

ARTICLE VI. 1. Meetings. This society shall hold regular meetings 
every Friday afternoon after recess. Special meetings may be called at any 
time by the executive committee. (Adapt to conditions). 

2. One-third of the members of the society shall constitute a quorum to 
do business. 

ARTICLE VII. (a) There shall be no regular dues, (b) The dues of 
this society shall be cents per 

ARTICLE VIII. Amendments. An amendment to this constitution shall 
be proposed in writing and read at a regular meeting of the society. It 
shall then lie on the table until the next regular meeting. If carried at 
that meeting by a majority of all the active members it shall be a part of 
this constitution. 



BY-LAWS 

1. This society shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order. 

2. The order of procedure at the meetings shall be as follows : 

a. Call to order. 

b. Reading of minutes and action thereon. 

c. Reports of standing committees. 

d. Reports of special committees. 

e. Communications with action thereon. 

f. Unfinished business. 

g. New business, 
h. Program. 

i. Further business, if any. 
j. Adjournment. 

3. During the year 1918-19 there shall be a standing committee paving 
charge of the sale of Thrift and "War Saving Stamps. 



10 ORGANIZATION OK SCHOOL SOCIETIES 

4. The Society shall be considered a Red Cross Auxiliary and a standing 
committee of which the teacher shall be chairman shall be appointed to have 
special charge of the work. 

5. Committees having charge of other special activities relating to the 
war work shall be provided whenever this society votes to take up such 
activities. 



SECOND MEETING 

1. Meeting called to order by the temporary chairman. No election 
is necessary. 

2. Reading of the minutes by the secretary. After the secretary 
has read the minutes the chairman will say "You have heard the read- 
ing of the minutes. Are there any corrections? If there are no cor- 
rections, the minutes will stand approved. (After a pause) They stand 
approved." 

3. Cliairman "We shall now have the report of the committee on 
constitution." 

4. The chairman of the constitution committee reads the constitu- 
tion as the committee formulated it. After the reading some one makes 
the following motion: "I make a motion that the constitution be 
adopted section by section." This motion i-s put and carried. After 
each section is read some one makes a motion that it be adopted. Af- 
ter all the sections have been adopted, some one makes a motion that 
the constitution as a whole be adopted. 

The same procedure is used in the adoption of the by-laws. 

5. The following letter from Superintendent C. P. Gary may then 
be read by the secretary: 

To the Boys and Girls of District Number Town of 

County, Wisconsin : 



You have now adopted the constitution and by-laws by which your 
society will be governed. It may be interesting in this connection to 
note that you have done something that is done whenever a society is 
organized. Sometime in the future when you become members of or- 
ganizations you will be interested in reading their constitutions. 

I suggest that as soon as convenient the society provide itself with 
a record book in which the minutes can be kept in permanent shape. 
The secretary should prepare the minutes very carefully and copy 
them into this permanent record book after all corrections have been 
made. When the superintendent and supervising teacher visit your 
school be sure to have them look over this book. In years to come 
these records may be of value historically. 

Your next step in the organization of the society will be the election 
of officers. Whenever a person is elected to a position or given a 
place on a committee he should regard it as an honor and fulfill the 
duties of that position to the best of his ability. The welfare of our 
government depends to a great extent upon the carefulness with which 
the public servants perform their duties. Whenever you hav'j the op- 
portunity to vote make it a point to select persons who are trustworthy 
and capable. After a person has received a position of trust, he should 



JUNIOR RED CROSS WORK IN PUBT.IC SCHOOLS H 

render the best service he can. Those who perform well the small 
duties of life are the persons usually entrusted with the higher re- 
sponsibilities 

In a short time your society should prepare programs. Suggestions 
will be given with reference to this matter later. Whenever a person 
is placed on a program he should regard it as an opportunity to develop 
himself and should do his utmost to render his part well. Much of 
your regular school work can be used in the preparation of these pro- 
grams^ 

I urge most strongly that you take up the War Savings and Red 
Cross activities as soon as possible. Committees should be appointed 
to start this work so that they may report at your next meeting. It 
is important that these two activities be commenced at once. 

As you proceed in your society work you will find that you are 
really applying the knowledge gained in the various school subjects. 
When you make your reports and write letters you are doing the best 
kind of language work. There will also be occasion to bring in the 
other school subjects. Do not think, therefore, that the work you do 
in this society is hindering your progress in the other branches. As 
a matter of fact, the work that you do here reenforces the regular 
class work of your school. 

In conclusion let me urge you all to do the very best work you can 
In your daily school work. You will find as you go through life that 
the knowledge gained while you are young will always be useful to 
you. Be sure that you understand the work you go over and do not 
form the habit of merely learning the words of the book. 

Very truly yours, 

C. P. Caby, 
State Superintendent. 

6. A letter from the county superintendent should then be read. 

7. Election of oflficers. Have the chairman appoint tellers and pro- 
ceed with the election in the regular way. Teach the children the 
right way to do things and we shall have proper procedure in public 
meetings. 

8. Have the society authorize the executive committee to appoint 
a committee to take up the Thrift and War Saving Stamp work. Thts 
committee should make a study of the subject and be prepared to ex- 
plain it to the society at the next meeting. 

9. Authorize the executive committee to appoint a committee to 
start the Red Cross work. The chairman of this committee must be 
the teacher. This committee should be prepared to explain the Junior 
Red Cross Auxiliary to the society at the next meeting and also lay 
before the society definite plans as to further procedure. 

For material on the organization of the Junior Red Cross work see 
pp. 27-47 of this bulletin. 

10. After making the necessary announcements as to committee 
meetings, etc. the meeting is adjourned. 

After the second meeting and before the third the following things 
need to be done: 

1. The teacher should help the secretary write up the minutes. 

2. The War Savings committee should have a meeting and the nec- 
essary literature placed in the hands of the members. 



12 ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL SOCIETIES 

3. The Red Cross committee should meet and lay plans for the next 
meeting. The teacher should be the one to give the principal talk on 
this subject. 

4. The executive committee should appoint committees on the War 
Savings and Red Cross work and plan a program for the next meet- 
ing. This program will consist mainly of the business to be transacted 
and the explanation of the War Savings and Red Cross work. The 
teacher should also talk over with the president the various details 
in the management of the next meeting. 

5. Have the secretary of the society report to the county superin- 
tendent the organization of the society. The following form may be 
used: 

Wis 

(date) 

Superintendent 

Wisconsin. 

Dear Mr : 

The pupils of District Number Town of , 

County, Wisconsin, held a meeting on 

(day of week) 

and organized a school society. The following are the 

(date) I T I • 

officers: 

President : 

(address) 

Vice President : 

(address) 

Secretary : 

(address) 

Treasurer: (teacher) 

Committees will be appointed to report on the War Savings and the 
RQd Cross work at the next meeting. The society holds its regular 

meetings every at 

(hour) 



Secretary 

Note. — Teachers and officers of the Societies are invited to write to 
the offices of the county or state superintendent at any time regarding 
matters pertaining to the work of the Societies. County Superintend- 
ents and Supervising Teachers will be glad to answer questions when 
they visit the schools. 

For further suggestions regarding the organization of school soci- 
eties and the teaching of parliamentary usages see also the Common 
School Manual, pp. 304-309 (pp. 263-268, Ed. 1916). 



JUNIOR KKD CICUSS VVUUK iN i'UBi.iC SCHOOLS IJ 



THIRD MEETING 

1. Call to order. 

2. Reading of minutes; approval ot the same. 

3. Appointment ot committees. The president rtads the names ot 
persons serving on war Savings and Red Cross committees. 

4. The reading of the following letter from Superintendent C. f. 
Gary by the Secretary: 

To the Boys and Girls of District Number , Town of , 

County, Wisconsin. 

Your society has now been duly organized by the adoption of the 
constitution and the election of officers. When we consider that taere 
are over seven tnousaud societies like yours in the state of Wisconsin 
we can realize that Ihe movement which you and the other schools have 
started means a great deal to the educational interests and the welfare 
01 the state. 1 know that as you proceed in your work you will gain 
in ability to do things and this will make you stronger and more effi- 
cient citizens. _.» 

in my hrst letter to you I mentioned the matter of attendance. Very 
likely some have entered school since that letter was written. I wisn 
again to encourage all of you to do your utmost to make the school 
attendance this year the best possible. It is oniy when we ar^ ah pres- 
ent that we can do the most effective work. 

1 sincerely urge all of you to do all that you can in helping in the 
sale of Thrift and War Savings Stamps and in the Junior Red Cross 
work. You can hardly realize the great need there is for this help. 
Rest assured that everything you do will be greatly appreciated by 
the soldier boys who are now ttghtiug the battles of the country. 

In this letter I wish especially to urge you to do all you can to help 
your parents at home. There are many things that you can do which 
will relieve them of a great deal of work and leave them more time 
and energy to do the more difficult tasks which they alone can do. 
Especially form in yourselves the habit of doing things without being 
told. The work you do in the home is a valuable part of your educa- 
tion. Do all you can to make the home as cheerful as possible. Take 
an interest in everything that pertains to the home. Tell your par- 
ents about the work you do at school. Tell them about the work you 
are doing in this society. Ask them questions and learn all that you 
can from them. 

Also take an interest in what is going on in the community and do 
whatever you can to improve the conditions in the neighborhood. Keep 
yourselves informed on what is going on in the world by reading the 
papers. In a short time the fall election will be held. When that time 
comes, plan to have an election in your school, so that you may learn 
how ballots are marked and how the election is conducted. You can 
get much information regarding this subject from your fathers. 

In every way make your school work as real as possible and try to 
understand your lessons. 

Very truly yours, 

C. P. Gary, 
State Superintendent . 

5. The reading of a letter from the county superintendent. 

6. The reading of a letter from Mr. J. H. Puelicher. 



14 ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOi. SOCIETIES 

To the School Children of Wisconsin: 
Dear Friends: — 

Your summer playtime is now over and you are once more at work. 
I know, however, that many of you have not spent the last two months 
merely in play. Some of you have been soldiers of the soil, working 
for Uncle Sam in your gardens and on the farm. Others have shown 
patriotism by helping in the Red Cross Campaign and in the Thrift 
and War Savings Stamp movement. 

Do you remember what a good time you had last spring helping 
your teacher form a War Savings Society in your schoolroom so that 
you and your classmates might help Uncle Sam win this war? Per- 
haps you were President or Secretary and worked hard to have your 
society receive the first one hundred per cent Certificate in your school, 
or perhaps you brought in so many associate members that you were 
made a Captain or a Lieutenant or even a General. You thought you 
were doing all of this work for Uncle Sam in return for the many 
things he had done for you and yet you found when school closed, 
that you had helped not only Uncle Sam, but also yourselves. You had 
learned the important lesson of how to save money. 

Last July, about a month after school closed, the newspapers pub- 
lished the fact that Wisconsin, your State and my State, was the only 
state in the union to exceed its quota in the number of War Savings 
Societies it had formed. You, and all the other school children in our 
State are the reason for that. With the help of your teachers and 
principals, you worked so earnestly and eagerly in this plan for Thrift 
and War Savings, that you put Wisconsin clear "over the top". Those 
little green stamps are very important after all, are they not? 

This year we have a new plan for you to carry out. The School War 
Savings Societies will continue as before, giving you a chance to loan 
the United States your money by buying Uncle Sam's green Thrift 
Stamps. But now, w^e want you to bring your fathers and mothers 
into the secret; show them your card filled with neat green rows and 
explain how you earned the money and what a good time you had 
doing it. Wisconsin is going to form War Savings Societies for them 
and our State Department of Education and Washington are going to 
furnish interesting material for their programs. In this way, they will 
also be encouraged to loan the United States money, at the same time 
safely investing it, for you know that Uncle Sam's is the safest secur- 
ity in the World. 

You and I want Wisconsin to stay at the top and in order to do this, 
we must again work together, pushing and pulling in an earnest en- 
deavor to keep our beloved State at the head of the list. After your 
splendid work of last year, I know that I can depend upon you. 

Your friend, 

J. H. PUELICHER, 

State Director for Wisconsin. 

7. Report of War Savings Committee. Short talks should be given 
by the members of this committee telling about the Thrift Stamps and 
the War Savings Stamps. Material for this work can be found in the 
government bulletin. This subject may be discussed in one of the 
arithmetic periods if necessary or the material may be organized in a 
language period. The committee should also explain the plan the 
school is going to use. If this subject cannot be completed at this 
meeting, it may be continued in the next meeting. During the meet- 
ing give the children an opportunity to sign the United States Govern- 
ment pledge for thrift service. 



JUNIOR RED CROSS WORK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 15 

■<., i' 

8. A talk by the teacher on the Red Cross work to be done. Infor- 
mation regarding the history of the Red Cross should be given by the 
children at some special Red Cross program. The teacher should tell 
the children about the administration features of the Red Cross work. 
This information can be obtained from the people in charge of the lo- 
cal chapter. One of the members of the committee selected for the 
Red Cross work should be the secretary, the teacher being the chair- 
man. These two persons will then be the officers with whom the offi- 
cials of the Red (Cross Chapter communicate. The secretary of the soci- 
ety may also be appointed secretary of Red Cross work if desired. 

9. Take action to authorize the Red Cross committee to take steps 
to make application to the proper person for recognition of your school 
as a Red Cross auxiliary. 

10. Other business. 

11. Adjournment. 



Work to be done between the third and fourth meetings: 

1. Writing up secretary's minutes. 

2. Meeting of War Savings committee. Report to county superin- 
tendent of the organization of the work. The teacher should fill out 
the W. S. 8. report of enlistment or reenlistment and mail to head- 
quarters at Milwaukee in government franked envelope furnished hy 
county superintendent. 

3. Meeting of Red Cross committee. Report to the county super- 
intendent and to the Red. Cross chairman if the organization has been 
perfected. 

4. Meeting of Executive Committee to plan the work for the fourth 
meeting. 



SUGGESTIVE MATERIAL FOR PROGRAMS OF THE 

SOCIETY 

The programs given by the society should contain good material. 
Much of the material should be taken from the regular school sub- 
jects. After the parts have been rendered in the society program the 
best may be used for community programs given in the evenings or on 
special occasions. 

1. Music. 

a. Singing 

1. Songs by the whole school 

2. Songs by individual pupils 

3. Songs by groups of pupils or classes 

b. Instrumental Music 

1. Victrola selections 

2. Instrumental selections by individual children (organ, 

piano, violin) 



16 ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL SOCIETIES 

The patriotic music should be emphasized but other good standard 
songs should also be used. 

2. Flag Salute. 

3. Recitations. The selections for memorizing should be carefully 
chosen. Pupils should memorize things worth while. 

4. Short talks by pupils on topics in history, geography, civics, hy- 
giene, etc. 

5. Material sent out by the Red Cross Organization. 

6. Reports by pupils in interesting articles on books read. These 
should not be long. 

7. Reading of letters from soldiers and others. 

8. Short talks and exercises by the teacher. The teacher as a mem- 
ber of the society should occasionally have a part in the program. 

9. Short talks by visitors. Outsiders should remember that they 
are guests of the society and observe the proper attitude toward the 
pupils. 

10. Reports on news relating to the war and other current events 
of importance. 



FOURTH MEETING 

1. Call to order. 

2. Reading of the minutes. 

3. Reports of committees. 

4. Reading of communications. 

a. Letter from Superintendent C. P. Gary. 



To the Boys and Girls of District Number , Town of , 

County, Wisconsin. 

I wish to call your attention today to an opportunity which you 
children of Wisconsin have that we did not enjoy twenty years ago. 
At that time there were practically no libraries in our country schools, 
while now every school has from fifty to three or four hundred books. 
In the old days we had as a rule only the textbooks from which to 
get knowledge, but today you can read many other books found in 
your libraries. 

In our visits we have found that in some schools the library is used 
a great deal while in others it is used little. People who read much 
are better informed on what is going on in the world and they can get 
more pleasure out of life. I do not refer to story books only but to 
books giving us useful information and books which give us the de- 
sire to live good, clean, useful lives. 

In your library there are a number of such books. If the number 
is not sufficient it is possible to secure books from other sources free 
of charge. In country districts traveling libraries can be obtained 
from the Free Library Commission, Madison, Wisconsin. This com- 
mission will also send library books by parcel post to people in the 
state desiring to read them. Your teacher can explain to you how 
books may be obtained. 

I wish to call your attention today to the Young People's Reading 
Circle of the state and I hope you will join the circle and read a num- 



JUNIOR RED CROSS WORK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 17 

ber of the books suggested in the list given in the Reading Circle 
Pamphlet. Your teacher will explain to you what the Wisconsin Read- 
ing Circle is if you do not already know. Then I wish you would ap- 
point a committee in your society to take charge of this matter. It 
would be a splendid showing if all the pupils in your school who are 
far enough advanced could join the circle. 

By reading the library books you are making yourselves better read- 
ers in the regular reading class. I have noticed that those who read 
a considerable amount of good reading material are usually good 
readers and they know a great many things. On the other hand, those 
who read little are usually poor readers and they know little about 
what is ^oing on in the world. 

Let me again urge you that in your reading you do not read only 
stories, but that you include also books giving the lives of great men 
and women, books telling about life in other lands, books on history, 
books on animals, birds, and plants. — in short, books that will give you 
information and inspiration for your work in life. 

When you have read a book that has been helpful and interesting 
to you, speak of it to others. Make it a practice, if possible, to read 
interesting articles, stories, and books aloud in your homes. In this 
way you can often add to the pleasure and happiness of your people. 

I shall appreciate it if, after organizing this reading circle work, 
some of you will write about it to your county superintendent and su- 
pervising teacher. Let us see how large an enrollment the Reading 
Circle can get in your county this year. 

Very truly yours, 

C. P. Caey, 
State Superintendent. 

b. Letter from county superintendent. 

c. Other communications, if any. 

5. A short explanation of the Reading Circle work by the teacher. 

6. Action on authorizing the executive committee to appoint a com- 
mittee on Reading Circle work. Determine number of members. 

7. Other business. 

8. Program, if any. 

9. Announcements of meetings. 

10. Adjournment. 



Work before the fifth meeting. 

1. If the time is opportune, have some pupil write a letter to the 
county superintendent telling what the society has done thus far. If 
thought best, the letter may be written later. A few of the most typi- 
cal of these letters will be sent by the county superintendent to the 
state superintendent's office. 

2. Look over secretary's minutes. 

3. If possible, provide a blank book into which the secretary may 
copy the constitution, the proceedings, and any other material that 
should be preserved. Do not get an expensive book. 

4. Meetings of committees. 

5. A meeting with the Reading Circle committee. 

6. A meeting of the executive committee to plan the work for the 
next meeting. 



18 ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL SOCIETIES 



FIFTH MEETING 

1. Preliminary proceedings the same as those of former meetings. 

2. Letter from Superintendent C. P. Gary: 



To the Boys and Girls of District Number , Town of , 

County. 

I wish today to lay before you a proposition which is of great im- 
portance to you as well as to the state and the nation. I refer to the 
collection and preservation of material which in future years will be 
valuable for historic purposes. 

During the past there have always been some people who have been 
interested in collecting, writing up, and preserving articles telling of 
the events that happened. As the years went by, others would use 
these articles in writing up the history of the period. Had it not been 
for the people who kept record of the events as they occurred much 
of the history of the past would have been lost. In the Historical 
Museum at Madison there are many things of interest that have been 
preserved and I urge that you make a visit to this building whenever 
you visit the state capital. 

We are now living in a very important period of the world's history 
and we should collect and preserve records of events that are happen- 
ing. The Wisconsin State Historical Society, of which Dr. M. M. 
Quaife is secretary, is especially interested in this work. A Wiscon- 
sin War History Commission has been appointed by Magnus Sw.en- 
son, Chairman of the State Council of Defense, for the purpose of 
organizing the work. This committee consists of M. M. Quaife of 
Madison, William W. Bartlett of Eau Claire, Carl Russel Fish of Madi- 
son, J. H. A. Lacher of Waukesha, Willard N. Parker of Madison, A. 
H. Sanford of La Crosse, and Captain H. A. Whipple of Waterloo. A 
local war history committee has been appointed in practically every 
county in the state to organize the work locally. 

In this work you children can be of great service by gathering for 
these organizations whatever is of interest in your own school dis- 
tricts. You are acquainted with the men who have gone to the war 
and you know about every activity that is going on. In fact, no one 
can do this work so well as you. Whenever a Red Cross meeting is 
held in your district or any other important event takes place you can 
write it up as a regular exercise for your language class. Such an 
exercise serves two purposes: It gives you some excellent and inter- 
esting material for your composition work in school and it enables 
you to serve the state by furnishing a written account of an important 
event in your locality. 

Besides writing up local events you can also be the means of col- 
lecting other interesting material. The boys write letters home. These 
letters should be preserved. Many of them are printed in the local 
papers and may be kept in the form of clippings. Think how interest- 
ing they will be in years to come! The war history committee may 
wish to secure some specific information regarding the boys that are in 
the service. If they should ask you to secure this information, I am 
sure you will be glad to get it for them. 

This work will be of great value to you in your school exercises and 
in years to come history will mean more to you if you help gather this 
material. Some of you may even wish to start collections of your own. 

I have given you previously some suggestions for your society pro- 



JUNIOR RED CROSS WORK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 19 

grams. I believe you will find it profitable to add this feature. I 
shall not outline to you in detail how this is to be done, as I know 
you will find some way of taking hold of it in an effective way. 

Thanking you for any help you may render the state and nation in 
the preservation of historical material, I am 

Very truly yours, 

C. P. Gary, 
State Superintendent. 

3. Here should follow a letter from the county superintendent. 

4. If possible, have a discussion in which the children suggest what 
they can do in their school to aid in collecting the historical material. 
The discussion should result in taking some definite action, — perhaps 
the appointment of a committee. If a committee is appointed, how- 
ever, it should be understood that every member of the society should 
still be on the lookout for material. 

Subsequent Meetings 

It is impossible and probably unnecessary to outline in detail any 
more the meetings for the year. Besides, such outlines would to some 
extent defeat the principal aim we have in mind. The great purpose 
of organizing these societies is to develop in the children initiative 
and resourcefulness. For that reason they should be encouraged from 
the start to plan their own programs and exercises. While the teacher 
should guide and instruct, great care must be taken that the societies 
be not directed by forces from without but that the pupils be made to 
feel that they are responsible for the success of the organization. 

The following letters are given in order that the children may have 
at each meeting a message calling attention to some phase of their 
educational work. These need not necessarily be given in the order 
set down but may be arranged to suit local conditions. County super- 
intendents are also urged to send letters to the societies. 



To the Boys and Girls of District Number , Town of , 

County: — 

My message to you today is with reference to health. It is of great 
importance to our nation that the people be well and strong. Our 
country needs all the help we can give and therefore it is our patriotic 
duty to do all we can, first, to keep ourselves in good condition physi- 
cally and, second, to do all we can to promote health in our communi- 
ties. 

Perhaps no group of citizens have a greater opportunity to render 
the nation service in this respect than you. There are two things es- 
pecially that you can do and I am offering a few suggestions for your 
consideration. First, you can do much to help your parents keep the 
home in a healthful condition and, second, you can help your teacher 
keep the schoolroom sanitary. 

Health is the result of right living. The rules of health are simple, 
but it often takes considerable will power to live up to them. Since 
health is worth so much to us we certainly ought to do everything we 
can to preserve it. 

Begin early to take care of your teeth. Not only will this practice 
save you toothache, but it will add to your general health. 



20 ORGANIZATION OP SCHOOL SOCIETIES 



Have regular hours for sleep. Loss of sleep not only prevents you 
from doing good school work, but it lowers your vitality and makes 
it easier for you to catch colds and other ailments. 

Breathe pure air. Especially have your bedrooms and your school- 
room well ventilated. Impure air lowers your vitality and paves the 
way for sickness. 

Eat wholesome food. Make a study of foods to find out which are 
the most nourishing. Milk is especially valuable and should be used 
more than it is. 

Drink plenty of good pure water. Water is a cleanser and will help 
to keep the organs of the body in good working order. 

Clothe yourself properly. Do not run out into the cold air poorly 
clad. On the other hand, if you have sufficient clothing it will do you 
good to go into the open air for play even in cold weather. Beware of 
getting your feet wet. Do not wear rubbers or overshoes in the room. 

Keep your body clean. Take a bath for your whole body at least 
once a week both summer and winter. 

Take good care of your eyes. Do not try to read in poor light and 
see that the light comes over your left shoulder when you read by 
lamplight. 

Refrain from the use of alcoholic drinks and tobacco. These things 
are entirely unnecessary and interfere with your growth and develop- 
ment. By using them you may also cut yourselves off from the possi- 
bility of holding responsible positions. 

I wish that the members of all school societies would consider the 
health questions seriously. Why not have a program and discuss the 
above suggestions and others which may come to your mind? Also 
consider how you may improve the sanitary conditions of your school- 
room. Are you regulating the light properly? Is there provision for 
furnishing moisture? In many schoolrooms the air is too dry and this 
condition makes it easy to catch cold. Keep the window curtains 
rolled up to the top of the windows except when the sun shines in. 

I wish to call your attention also to the fact that sickness increases 
as the school year progresses. Let us keep our schoolrooms sanitary 
and follow carefully the rules of right living so that this may not con- 
tinue to be true. 

Very truly yours, 

C. P. Gary. 
State Superintendent. 



To the Boys and Girls of District Number , Town of , 

County: — 

I wish to consider with you today the matter of schoolhouses and 
school grounds. I do not know in what condition your building is 
and how the grounds look, so I shall discuss them in a general way. 

People passing by a school form their opinion of it by its appear- 
ance. A neat, tidy school and premises are a credit to the pupils at- 
tending. Such surroundings also indicate a cooperation between pu- 
pils and teacher. On the other hand, untidy surroundings give a very 
unfavorable impression and are a poor advertisement not only of the 
school but the community. 

Many new schoolhouses have been built lately. In some cases they 
are kept in very good condition. Not a scratch or a mark can be found 
anywhere. In other instances things are allowed to go to ruin in a 
short time. 



JUiNlOU KEL) CliOSS WORK IN i'UBLiC SCHOOLS 21 

First of all, let us remember that the school is a gift of the taxpayers 
of the community to you children. For this reason it is your duty to 
respect this gitt. Improper use of tlie school aud grounds is tlierefore 
an insult to your parents. It is public property and suouid be pro- 
tected. 

Is it possible for your society to do anything to improve the appear- 
ance of the school? Perhaps you have already done what you can. 
In some schools pupils have taken upon themselves to care for certain 
phases of the work. In such schools we find things kept in a neat 
and orderly condition. When the work is distributed among several 
persons, no one needs to do very much. 

The outbuildings are always an indication of the character of the 
school. A neat well-kept outbuilding is something that shows more 
than anything else the high moral tone of the pupils. I sincerely hope 
that the school societies will do all they can to remedy conditions that 
are a reflection on the schools of the state. 

The larger pupils especially can do much in this respect, as they 
have influence with the smaller ones. I hope also that you will do all 
you can to prevent people who do not attend school from molesting the 
outbuildings and other school property. 

Talk with your parents about the needs of your school. Do all you 
can yourselves to have the best conditions possible and then secure 
the help of your school board and parents. If the society thinks cer- 
tain things are needed and all speak to their parents about it the 
board will be likely to act. 

In closing I wish to plead with you to do all you can to estab- 
lish in our country a higher regard for all public property. Too often 
we find persons mutilating, and even destroying, public buildings and 
other property. Evidently they consider such acts smart, while in re- 
ality they are cowardly. Will you please use your influence to stop 
such practices? In a few years you will be voters and taxpayers. 
When anyone mutilates or destroys public property he is committing 
a crime against the whole community. 

Very truly yours, 

C. P. Caky, 
State Superintendent. 



To the Boys and Girls of District Number , Town of , 

County: — 

I am thinking of the great influence for good that you will have 
when you reach the age that you can actively participate in public 
affairs. Again I urge you to make use of every opportunity you have 
to develop your powers by taking an active part in your society work. 
If any members take little part try in every way you can to get them 
to help. Give them work to do. 

I wish to suggest to you today some things that you as citizens can 
do in connection with your school work. 

You realize of course that you have much better chances to get a 
good schooling than your parents had. You have a longer term of 
school and you can attend more regularly. You have also library 
books which they did not have and from these you can learn many 
things, outside of the regular class work. The things you learn in 
geography, history, civics, and hygiene are both interesting and im- 
portant and I believe many of the adults would enjoy to have you pre- 
sent some of them at some of their meetings. 

My suggestion is this: Select some of the topics from the subjects 
given above, work them up in a special way, and give them at some 
of the evening meetings. 



22 ORGANIZATION OF SCHUUJ. SOCIETIES 

Take for instance "Finland." People know very little about that 
country which we read about in the papers. Could not one of you 
take that subject, prepare a short talk on it and thus give the people 
the benefit of your work? In this way you would spread information 
and enable people to read with greater profit the papers and maga- 
zines. Likewise there are many topics in history that would be help- 
ful. A talk on the government of the United States followed by a 
talk on the government of Germany would be timely. Few people 
know the difference between the two governments. Such knowledge 
is especially valuable and after you have gained it yourselves you 
could benefit others by imparting it to them. 

I believe you can really render our country a great service by pre- 
paring short talks in the manner suggested. You will gain in power 
of thought and expression yourselves and you will also be able to help 
others. 

Very truly yours, 

C. P. Cabt, 
State Superintendent. 



To the Boys and Girls of District Number , Town of , 

County: — 

A short time ago I wrote you with reference to collecting material 
for the War History Commission. There is another phase of local his- 
tory work which I believe we can do very well in connection with our 
regular school work, namely, writing and preserving the history of 
the school and of the community. 

The method would be this: In some way keep a record of the im- 
portant events happening in school during the year. To this would 
be added certain data or statistics together with the lists of the pupils 
attending, graduates, the alumni attending other schools, etc. At the 
close of the year these facts could be written up in an article and pre- 
served. Certainly such an article would be of interest in years to 
come. 

The same procedure would be followed in writing the history of the 
community. Transfers of land, deaths, marriages, and other events 
of importance could be included in the article which would become 
the permanent possession of the district. 

Is there not in your society some one whom you might elect the 
historian for the year? The writing of such an article would be ex- 
cellent practice in language and composition. 

Yours truly, 

C. P. Cary, 
State Superintendent. 



To the Boys and Girls of District Number Town of , 

County: — 

A short time ago I wrote you a letter in which I emphasized the 
importance of taking care of your health, and in that letter I referred 
to the need of the study of foods. I wish today to repeat the sugges- 
tions I made and suggest further that I think it would be a good plan 
if you would have a special "Food Program" at one of your meetings. 
From your work in physiology and hygiene you will be able to get 
some material. Several bulletins are available for supplementary 
reading. 

There is one bulletin in particular to which I desire to call your at- 
tention. It is entitled "Milk Necessary for the Nation's Welfare" (No. 



JUNIOR kKi) CROSS WORK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS ^^ 

291) and can be obtained from the Agricultural College, University of 
Wisconsin, Madison. 

Another phase of the food question to be taken up is the need of 
conservation. We should know definitely what foods need to be saved. 
You will find no diflSculty in securing material for that topic. 

When you prepare the talks or write up the exercises on food take 
the matter up with your parents also. They will be able to give you 
many practical suggestions. 

Very truly yours, 

C. P. Caby, 
State Superintendent. 



ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS WITH REFERENCE TO 
ADMINISTRATIVE WORK 

The school society should be organized sometime during the first 
month. If the teacher taught the same school last year or is familiar 
with the school, the work may be commenced at once. If the teacher 
is new in the district, it may be well to defer the matter for a short 
time. 

It is suggested that the first meeting be held on a Wednesday and 
the second meeting on the following Friday, leaving one day between 
the two meetings for the constitution committee to prepare its work. 
The third meeting should be held a week after the second meeting. 
If the school had a War Savings Society and a Junior Red Cross Aux- 
iliary last year and is familiar with the work done by these organiza- 
tions, it may be well to take definite steps at the second meeting to 
have this work begun at that time. A short recess of the society may 
be taken, during which the executive committee comes together and ap- 
points the members of the War Savings Committee and the Junior 
Red Cross Committee. If this is done, Mr. Puelicher's letter should 
be read at this meeting. 

If the school did not have these activities last year and the society 
work is entirely new, it will be best to follow the order suggested in 
this bulletin and simply have the organization of the society at the 
second meeting, leaving the inauguration of the War Savings and 
Junior Red Cross activities to the third meeting. In this work the 
teachers must use their best judgment, but should make effort to get 
the two activities started as early as possible. 

Reference has already been made to the secretary's record book. 
(See p. 10). 

The War Savings Committee should provide itself with a record book 
in which to enter each pupil's account. The pupils may be the means 
of selling stamps to others as well as buying stamps for themselves. 
Therefore, it may be well to enter under each pupil's account the num- 
ber of stamps (Thrift and War Savings) he bought and also the num- 
ber he has sold to others. In this way the school can get proper credit 
for all the stamps that it is the means of selling. 



24 ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL SOCIETIES 

The Red Cross Committee should provide itself with a record book 
in which to enter the activities coming under its supervision. The 
work of each child should be duly recorded by giving the kind of arti- 
cles made and the number. It may also be well to record the date 
each article is finished. In this way the school can be given full credit 
at the end of the year for work done. 

The War History Committee should, likewise, have a record book 
for its work so that at the end of the year a summary may be made of 
the activities in this department. 

The Reading Circle Committee should enter in its record book the 
books read by each pupil so that a summary may be made at the close 
of the year of the number of books read. 

These record books should be kept as the school society's property 
and should not be destroyed. 

The War Savings Committee should report at each meeting (a) the 
total number of stamps sold since the last meeting, and (b) the total 
number sold since the beginning of year. The Red Cross Committee 
should also report at each meeting the work done. Other committees 
should report to the society whenever there is any special information 
to be given. 

The Executive Committee may at any time ask any of the other com- 
mittees to furnish material for the program of a meeting. Thus, some 
programs may be arranged by the Red Cross Committee, others by the 
War Savings Committee, etc. 

The secretary should keep record of the number of short speeches 
given by the pupils during the year, both in the school society programs 
and in the community programs, so that a report may be made of this 
item at the close of the year. 

The report of the secretary to the county superintendent, announc- 
ing the organization of the society, is mentioned on p. 12. Other re- 
ports may be called for from time to time. At the close, of the year 
the annual report is sent in. The following form will be used this 
year: 

ANNUAL REPORT 

OF THE 

SCHOOL SOCIETY OP DIST. NO 

Town of County 

To Supt , , Wis. 

Date of Organization 

Total Number of Members 

" " in War Savings work 

in Junior Red Cross 

Total amount bought by members in War Savings Stamps during the 
school year $ 



JUNIOR RED CROSS WORK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 25 

Total number of regular meetings during the year 

How often are regular meetings held? 

On what days? Usual length of meeting? 

Number of special meetings Has the society regular 

dues? If so, what are they? 

Junior Red^Cross Activities 

No. Articles Made Kind 



War History Activities 

Total number of articles (compositions) written on local events of 

war interest, etc 

Total number of clippings gathered 

" " " photographs " 

" " letters collected 

Other work 



Reading Circle Activities 

Total number of pupils enrolled in Reading Circle work 

Total number of books read 

Total number pupils entitled to Reading Circle Diplomas or Seals. 



Other Activities 



Has the society made provision for continuing Its meetings and activi- 
ties during vacation? 



26 ORGANIZATION OP' SCHOOJ. SOCIETIES 

Date of last meeting 

Date of making report 

Secretary. 

President. 

Chairman 

Red Cross Committee 

War Savings " 

War History " 

Reading Circle " 



A Word to Parents 

In order that the child's education may be as complete as possible 
the home and the school must work together. This bulletin has been 
prepared as a guide to the children and the teachers in organizing 
and carrying on a phase of school work that is exceedingly important 
and necessary. I ask you to give your hearty support to what the 
school is doing. The success of the school societies will be promoted 
by an active and sympathetic interest on your part. 

The most important work we have in life is the training of our chil- 
dren. The public school is the institution that the state has estab- 
lished to help the parents in this responsible task. The school and 
the home need at this time more than ever to awaken in the child a 
sense of responsibility and a desire to participate in the affairs of life. 
To afford a means for such a training is the purpose in the organiza- 
tion of the school societies. 

Oonclusion 

The central aim in all the work that has been suggested is the de- 
velopment of the pupil. The success of the work must be measured 
by the activities of the class. No matter how much the teacher and 
other adult individuals may work the undertaking is a failure unless 
the pupils develop powers of initiative and self-direction. 

As a rule we do not have confidence enough in the children. We 
do the work for them and afterward commend them for what they have 
not done. Such procedure will not develop individuals of thought and 
action. 

Let our goal the coming year be: A children'' s society in every 
school, with Red Cross and War Savings Stamp activities in every 
society. 



Suggestions 

ON 

JUNIOR RED CROSS WORK 



IN THE 

Public Schools 



PREPARED BY 

GRACE WYMAN 

Supervisor of Country Schools 
Second District, Dane County 



ISSUED BY 

C. P. GARY 
State Superintendent 



Madison, Wis. 
1918 



28 ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL SOCIETIES 



TABLE OP CONTENTS 

Introduction 

Why this pamphlet was prepared 
For whom intended 
Historical Sketch of the Red Cross 
How the Red Cross Began 
The Red Cross in Times of Peace 
The Red Cross in War 
The Junior Red Cross Auxiliary 
Origin 

The President's Proclamation 
What it Represents 
Ideals of its Work 

These Ideals Intensify Your Teaching 
Most Important Ideal Listed First 
The Promotion of Personal Health and Efficiency 
Betterment of Community Conditions 
Useful and Harmless Birds and Animals 
Spread of Health by Preventive Means 
Aid in Emergencies 
Home Nursing and Dietetics 
Preparation of Supplies 
Summary of Possibilities 
Patriotism Through Reading 
General Organization Suggestions 

Who Can Join? 

How Can A School Join? 

Pledge 

When Does The Junior Auxiliary Begin? 

Dues 

Expenditure of Dues 

Application for Membership 

Chapter School Committee 
Management of Junior Auxiliary Work 

School Time Used For This Work 

Officers 

How to Make Greatest Use of Time 

Regular Weekly Red Cross Period 
For One-Room Country School 

Supervision of Work 

Suggestive Record Cards 

Monthly Meeting 
Reports 

Kind of Work a School Chapter Chrm. Wants 
Additional General Suggestions 

Patriotic Calendar 

Ways of Making Money 

Boys' Work in Junior Auxiliary 



JUNIOR RED CROSS WORK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 29 



1. INTRODUCTION 

1. Why This Pamphlet Was Prepai'e«l 

In compiling this pamphlet the writer has had constantly in mind 
the fact that grade teachers in small villages and teachers in the one- 
room country schools are frequently so far removed from an active 
Red Cross organization or the School Chapter Chairman of Junior Red 
Cross Auxiliary work that there are many general suggestions which 
can be made in the planning and carrying on this splendid work in the 
schools with as little loss of valuable time and with the greatest de- 
gree of efficiency possible. It is primarily to meet this need that the 
following pages have been prepared. 

2. For Whom Intended 

Every teacher should have a renewed desire to make the ideals for 
which the Junior Red Cross Auxiliary stands vital in her teaching 
work. Therefore it is hoped that all teachers will find this pamphlet 
which presents the work in its broadest sense useful as a guide or as a 
reference for their pupils. 



HISTORICAL SKETCH 

1. How The Red Cross Began 

Did you ever stop and think what war would be like if there were 
no nurses to take care of the wounded men? It was not so long ago 
that there were no women to go into the military hospitals to see that 
the military soldiers brought in from battlefield were properly bathed, 
fed, and cared for. It is fit and proper that we should study the life 
of Florence Nightingale, whose name is dear to every soldier and 
sailor. 

Florence Nightingale was an English girl of wealthy parentage, and 
was born almost a hundred years ago, in Florence, Italy. As a little 
girl she could not bear to see any insect or animal injured. 

One winter she visited a hospital in London. She was appalled by 
the dirty, unsanitary conditions and decided then and there to become 
a nurse and make such places wholesome and clean. Her family and 
friends protested against it, but in spite of it all, she gave up society 
life for twelve years and traveled over Europe, visiting and studying 
in hospitals. 

Shortly after her return to England the Crimean War broke out in 



30 ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL SOCIETIES 

which France, England, and Turkey fought against Russia. The man- 
agement in the military hospitals was poor, — supplies lacking, — over 
two thousand wounded men lay on the battlefield for days in mud and 
filth, — sick men were packed together in hordes, and the place which 
could hardly be called a hospital was alive with rats and vermin. 

It was into this scene that Florence Nightingale was called by the 
English government. The dirt was cleaned away, — the men were 
bathed and given fresh clothing, — good food was served, — letters writ- 
ten home for them— and many men recovered entirely from their 
wounds. All this was due to Florence Nightingale and her corps of 
women workers. 

A young Swiss, Henri Dunant was among the many who were re- 
sponsible for the awakening of a responsive sympathy. It was he who 
published a book "A Souvenir of Solferino," giving an account of 
horrors which he had witnessed on the battlefield of Solferino. 

It was in this book that the idea of International organization 
sprung; — that one should prepare in time of peace for war, — to work 
for this not nation by nation, but all nations together. 

He and a group of interesting men called together a council of four- 
teen nations at Geneva, Switzerland. It was during this conference 
that an international treaty was made which gave to the world the or- 
ganization of the Red Cross. 

The two most important pledges were to work with each other in 
caring for sick and wounded of all countries, — and never to fire on a 
doctor, nurse or ambulance bearing a Red Cross. There were many 
other promises also, but the two named are the most important. 

The emblem adopted is the same emblem used today. It is the red 
cross on a white field. The banner of Switzerland is the white cross 
on the red field. The reversed colors and emblem were chosen as a 
tribute to the nation which called fhem together. 

There were two watch words adopted — "Humanity," "Neutrality" — 
to care for those in need — and regardless of race or color. 

Up to this time in the early sixties, little was known of the Red 
Cross here in America. Not even did people know about the work of 
Florence Nightingale. 

When the Civil war broke out there was no Red Cross. The wounded 
soldiers were cared for by a "Sanitary Commission" made up of men 
and women selected, supplemented by many individual women. 

Among these women were three who stand out in prominence, the 
first one being Dorothea Dix. She was well known in England and 
America in prison reform work. When the war broke out she saw ill 
treatment of government troops; she fook the next train to Washington, 
volunteered her services, and was made superintendent of women 
nurses. 

This work involved the selection of nurses, guiding them in their 
work, in the distribution of supplies and care of soldiers. Many of the 
surgeons and nurses disliked her because of her severity with careless 
or lazy workers. She never had a holiday during the entire war. 



JUNIOR RED CROSS WORK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 31 

When she was asked by the Secretary of War what the nation could 
do to thank her for her work, she answered, "I would like to have a 
flag!" Two beautiful flags were given her by her country. Later sh(> 
presented them to Harvard university where they now hang above 

Fearless "Mother Bickerdyke" was the second. It is said that once 
she visited a hospital ward of wounded men at eleven o'clock in the 
morning and found that her patients had had no breakfast; the surgeon 
had been out on a spree the night before. She ordered him off with these 
words, "Pull off your shoulder straps, for you shall not stay in the 
army a week longer." Within three days the surgeon was discharged. 
When Major General Sherman listened to the report, he replied, 
"There is nothing I can do for you. She ranks me." Such was the 
respect of the sternest generals for the woman who was devoting her 
life to the work of humanity in the Civil war. 

A third worker for the soldiers was Clara Barton. While standing 
one day in the station at Washington, she saw a train load of wounded 
soldiers roll in. They were in dreadful condition, in pain, hunger, 
cold, and filth,^ — no nurses or doctors to care for them. 

Clara Barton had them carried to the hospital, washed and provided 
them with clean clothes and food, and wrote letters to their families. 
She obtained a passport later to go behind the lines, and there in the 
midst of dirt and disease she stayed during the remainder of the war, 
nursing Northerners and Southerners alike. 

When the war was ended she went abroad for a rest and there for 
the first time she heard of the Red Cross society. In the war 
between France and Germany in 1870 she saw for the first time the 
medical staff of the opposing nations working together in the care 
of the wounded soldiers. The Red Cross was on their sleeves, and 
they were working behind the firing line. 

Clara Barton was so inspired by this sight that she resolved to in- 
troduce this same Red Cross in America. Through her untiring 
efforts of nearly five years, the Geneva treaty was signed by the United 
States in 1882 and the American Red Cross was established. This 
done, the achievement of her life was accomplished. She became the 
first President. 

Straight way her problems began. The Red Cross was established 
for work during war, and now there was no war! What should she do? 

Just then came the news of great suffering in a certain region of the 
United States. Why not turn the forces of this organization into serv- 
ice for suffering people from other causes in time of peace? 

2. The Red Cross in Times of Peace 

That the American Red Cross was the seed of a great force for good 
that needed nourishing, became a recognized fact during the terrible 
forest fire in Michigan. A few here and a few there joined, giving 
their support in money and interest. Branches began to spring up 



32 ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL SOCIETIES 

over the country as the work progressed and a little later during the 
Mississippi flood of 1882, local Red Cross branches as well organized 
as they are today, were started. 

During this flood millions of acres of cotton and sugar plantations 
were under water and thousands of homes destroyed. Within three 
days time seed for replanting was on its way to the devastated region, 
and soon the valley was green with crops again — all due to the work 
of the American Red Cross. 

During the following years other disasters followed. There were 
4,000 dead, and 20,000 unfed and homeless in the path of the Johns- 
town flood. The dead were identified, — the hungry fed, — the sick 
cared for, and clothes and homes provided. 

Over 300,000 people were fed in a bread line after the San Fran- 
cisco earthquake. Money by telegram, check, letter, and by hand was 
poured in by the Red Cross for the sufferers. Colonies of tents and 
relief shacks were erected to house the refugees. People all over the 
world became interested through the wonderful work done here. 

Many other accounts too numerous to relate such as the Dayton flood 
disaster also could be given, but the above give a general impression 
of the many kinds of service given by the Red Cross. Each of the 
great disasters where the Red Cross has served bears a story of its 
own. Since 1905 over 75 calls of various kinds have been answered — 
some due to earthquakes, fires, volcanic eruptions, floods, cyclones, 
famines, epidemics of sickness, shipwrecks and mining disasters. 

The Red Cross does not believe in waiting till disaster comes, but 
it believes in preventing disasters from occurring. I shall enumerate 
some of the ways. 

Every package or letter which you seal with a Red Cross stamp at 
Christmas time helps to pay for the care of a tuberculosis patient at 
one of the sanitoriums. It may be a young boy or girl, or a father or a 
mother, — and many times it is a young man or a young woman. Even 
our dear old Santa Claus works for the Red Cross. 

First Aid courses are conducted to teach people how to swim, and 
how to save a drowning person. Hundreds of lives are lost yearly 
because of a lack of knowledge of the last named. Such classes are 
called "Water First Aid Corps." 

A Red Ci'oss Magazine, owned by the American Red Cross, is pub- 
lished monthly and tells of the work done all over the world by this 
organization. Wherever there is the need it organizes committees for 
any new work to be done. Between 1905 and 1916 the work was car- 
ried on by Mabel Boardman. It was through her appeal to Congress 
that the Red Cross owes its beautiful home in Washington. All this 
was accomplished before the war which we are now fighting ever be- 
gan. 

And now we shall see what the Red Cross is doing in our present 
war, and what we can do to organize and assist in the great work. 



JUNIOR RED CROSS WORK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 33 



3. The Ked Cross in War 

During the lapses of time between the Civil War and Spanish Ameri- 
can War, the organization of the Red Cross was perfected. Thousands 
of the professional nurses were ready to answer the challenge of their 
country; they studied the hospital methods and ambulance service of 
our allies; the work of the Red Cross was not merely on the battlefield, 
but in building up strong men and, women to work for their country. 
So when we entered this war, the Red Cross took upon itself along 
with its hospital and ambulance service, the duty of caring for families 
left behind — seeing to it that they were properly clothed, fed, and 
housed — and that the children of such families might not be neglected, 
but might grow into strong, healthy men and women. 

The proclamation of war was issued by our president on April 6, 
1917. But before April the American Red Cross was at work on the 
battlefields of the Allies. 

A campaign of one week was planned during which the Red Cross 
War Council raised $100,000,000. Telephone and telegraph wires 
hummed the requests of communities in every part of the United States. 
Men left their important positions to serve in this campaign. Artists, 
the best the country had, gave their time and efforts in designing the 
many posters seen in windows and on streets. Cities vied with one 
another. People of all occupations contributed to the cause. In Ohio 
a woman sold a hen and a dozen eggs at auction for $2,002. A descend- 
ent of Betsey Ross made a flag that sold for $500. One half of the 
cities raised more than their apportionment. 

Since February the membership of the Red Cross has grown from 
400,000 to 5,000,000. 

In the first place there are the ambulance units that go to France 
and Russia to carry wounded men from the trenches to the base hos- 
pitals. Each of these ambulance companies consists of 124 men; offi- 
cers, privates to drive the ambulances, mechanics to take care of the 
cars, cooks, etc. They are volunteers chiefly from the colleges of the 
country. 

Calls come for ambulances to move the wounded at any time and 
neither darkness of night nor shot-shelled roads hinder the Red Cross 
ambulance driver when he has received orders to set out. Then there 
are base hospital units. These hospitals are back of the line of 
trenches; each is equipped with 500 beds, at a cost of $50 a bed. There 
are more than 2,000 active Red Cross nurses now at the front, and 
9,000 more stand ready to go in answer to the call. 

When a soldier comes from the trenches, tired and dirty, on his way 
home for a furlough, he will find near a station what is known as a 
Red Cross canteen. Here he finds food served by American Red Cross 
nurses in uniform, back of a porcelain-tiled counter pouring soup, cof- 
fee, and making sandwiches as fast as they can. Five thosuand can 
be fed in a day. 



34 ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL. SOCIETIES 

A soldier can have his dirty clothes sterilized, get a shower bath, go 
to the movies, and sleep in a clean bed, all f"ee except the food. There 
are twelve such canteens in France. Here in America when the sol- 
diers are being moved from one place to another these canteens are 
stationed at certain intervals enroute. 

Even dogs help in the Red Cross field work. Hundreds go to the 
front with a First Aid kit on his back on a scouting trip for wounded 
soldiers. Each brings back some article of clothing to tell the doctors 
that somewhere "out there" lies a wounded man who needs help. This 
Red Cross dog will stand patiently by a soldier's side while the soldier 
bandages his wound from the First Aid kit, then he trots off with 
a piece of clothing to tell of his discovery. They are trained for this 
work just like men are trained to become soldiers. 

Then there is the work done for the families left behind in the de- 
serted villages — ruined and wrecked by the German army. Clothes, 
blankets, protection and cooking utensils, farm machinery, etc. are pro- 
vided for such families just named, giving them a chance to have 
a fresh start to live. 

From many American homes have gone the father or the big brother, 
the business manager of that home. The wife and mother has not been 
responsible before for the paying of the bills and managing to live. 
To such families council is given in such matters. Uncle Sam has 
given her a government allowance, based on the size of her family 
which helps to solve this problem. The work which is done along 
these lines is classed in bulletins and under the department known as 
"Home Service Section." 

For the disabled soldiers returning to America the Red Cross finds 
an occupation which they may be taught to follow up as a means of 
making an honest, respectable living. Many return from war blind, 
wounded, perhaps without one or both arms or legs. Wonderful serv- 
ice has been rendered in the Canadian hospitals to such soldiers. 

Children, especially the younger children, have been neglected in years 
past during war times. The Red Cross is meeting this problem most 
efficiently. Older people can escape by using gas masks and can stand 
more suffering than children. They are herded together in dirty, un- 
finished sheds. The Red Cross nurses and doctors hurry them away 
to places of clean shelter, — give them wholesome food, and warm cloth- 
ing. 

All Red Cross supplies are made in the United States. Educational 
courses are established to teach women to make surgical dressings, 
compresses, garments of all kinds, etc. 

The above gives in a general way the various kinds of services ren- 
dered to humanity in this war. 



JUNIOR RED CROSS WORK IN PUBLIC SC^HOOLS 35 



4. Junior Red Cross Auxiliai'y 

Origin 
On September 3, 1917, the Red Cross War Council, the members of 
same being appointed by the President of the United States, with 
Henry P. Davison as chairman, agreed upon the plan of a Junior Auxil- 
iary. The President issued the following proclamation to the school 
children of the United States on September 15, 1917. 



THE JUNIOR RED CROSS 

To the School Children of the United States: 
A PROCLAMATION 

The President of the United States is also President of the American 
Red Cross. It is from these offices joined in one that I write you a 
word of greeting at this time, when so many of you are beginning the 
school year. 

The American Red Cross has just prepared a junior membership 
with school activities, in which every pupil in the United States can 
find a chance to serve our country. The school is the natural center 
of your life. Through it you can best work in the great cause of free- 
dom to which we have all pledged ourselves. 

Our Junior Red Cross will bring to you opportunities of service to 
your community and to other communities all over the world and 
guide your service with high and religious ideals. It will teach you 
how to save in order that suffering children elsewhere may have the 
chance to live. It will teach you how to prepare some of the supplies 
which wounded soldiers and homeless families lack. It will send to 
you through the Red Cross bulletins the thrilling stories of relief and 
rescue. And, best of all, more perfectly than through any of your 
other school lessons, you will learn by doing those kind things under 
your teacher's direction to be the future good citizens of this great 
country which we all love. 

And I commend to all school-teachers in the country the simple plan 
which the American Red Cross has worked out to provide for your co- 
operation, knowing as I do that school children will give their best 
service under the direct guidance and instruction of their teachers. 
Is not this perhaps the chance for which you have been looking to give 
your time and efforts in some measure to meet our national needs? 

WooDRow Wilson, 

President. 

Wliat It Represents 

The Junior membership represents simply the mobilization of the 
ochool children and their teachers. The plan of organization is to 
use the school as a unit under its own officers, with the teacher as the 
chairman of such an auxiliary. 

The aim is primarily an educational one. It purposes not to cease 
its work with the cessation of war, but to continue in time of peace its 
efforts to inculcate the highest duties of citizenship, which involve all 
the ideals for which the Red Cross struggled for years before the war. 



3() ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOi. aOCIETIKS 



Ideals of Its Work 

1. The promotion of personal health and efficiency. 

2. Betterment of community conditions. 

3. The inculcation of respect and care for useful and harmless birds 
and animals. 

4. The spread of health education throughout the country by pre- 
ventive means. 

5. Instruction in elementary measures of aid in emergencies. 

6. Home nursing and dietetics. 

7. In preparation of supplies by those who have time and service 
to give to aid the destitute wherever found in this or other countries. 

These embody the highest interpretation of "patriotism." 



These Ideals Intensify Your Teaching 

After carefully following up the work done during the past school 
year by Junior Auxiliaries in our schools it was found that few teach- 
ers made use of the wonderful opportunities which these high ideals 
afforded. Many teachers, in fact a large percentage, organized their 
auxiliaries, and upon obtaining the required dues and making a few 
garments, felt they had done all that was required, in order to pre- 
vent such a narrow conception of the possibilities of this work in our 
schools this year, let us consider at this time means of vitalizing our 
daily class work in the several subjects. 



Most Important Ideal L/isted First 

"The promotion of personal health and efficiency." If you will 
turn to the Common School Manual, Page 236, Hygiene, Sanitation, 
and Physiology, you will find that this ideal which is placed first in 
the list of the Junior Auxiliary, correlates in every detail to the course 
of study which you are teaching. 

It is possible for you to use this new avenue as a means of adding 
interest in the personal health of every member of your school. If 
they are to grow into strong, healthy men and women, it requires 
constant vigilance on the part of the teacher, that proper health habits 
are established. Let the accomplishment of some stated health habits 
as a part of the Junior Auxiliary work be given school credit by the 
teacher. Health and efficiency go hand in hand, and when your school 
produces a healthy boy or girl, the greater the possibility of his effi- 
ciency as a good citizen. 

Suggestions for keeping records for a "Health Bank'' as a part of 
Junior Auxiliary work will be given under the heading of Suggestive 
Record Cards. 



JUNIOR RED CROSS WORK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 37 



Bettei'iiieiit of Coniniuiiity Conditions 

If you are one of the teachers, my reader, who increased the interest 
of your class in Civics by giving scliool credit for tlie performance 
of service as a part of the Junior Auxiliary work, which brought about 
better community conditions, then you have been training boys and 
girls into the kind of future citizens our country will be proud to own 
and protect. 

Did your Junior Auxiliary clean up the school yard? 

Being a good neighbor is being a good citizen. Did any of the 
auxiliary members record a neighborly act weekly or monthly? 

Were any potatoes in your district allowed to waste in the ground 
because! help could not be procured and yet you had a Junior Auxil- 
iary in your school? Have they ever removed the old tin cans and 
bottles along the public highway? And bas any teacher thought of 
having the members be responsible for their own home door yards, 
whether they are kept clean and in a sanitary condition and given 
them school credit for such work? 

Suggestions for keeping records of "Little Citizens" as a part of 
Junior Auxiliary work will be given under tlie heading of Suggestive 
Record Cards. 

Useful and Harmless Birds and Animals 

The inculcation of respect and care of useful and harmless birds and 
animals is one of the most fascinating subjects that can be emphasized 
in teaching nature study as outlined in the Common School Manual, 
Page 188. 

The boys and girls of the Junior Auxiliary can make a bird house 
during the year to be placed on the school grounds, encouraging birds 
not only to frequent the school grounds, but to live there where they 
may be studied by the school. 

Before attempting to make such a bird house you will of course take 
up the study of the bird to whom you are going to present this new 
home to live in, that you may know his traits of character, and the 
kind of a house he will wish you to build for him. In so doing the 
members of the auxiliary will be watching for this new friend to and 
fro from school, on the school grounds, and wherever tbey may be in 
the outdoor world, becoming keenly interested and observing and ap- 
preciating Nature's world. 

When they check up "My Birds and Animals" on the record card 
which will be given under the heading of Suggestive Record Cards, 
some members will undoubtedly have checked to their credit the erec- 
tion of bird lunch counters, etc. 

Spread of Health by Preventive Means 

It was Florence Nightingale who so many years ago made the dis- 
tinction between health nursing and sick nursing. All activities which 



38 ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL SOCIETIES 

make for the health of the Individual, the family, the community, and 
which help to build up a stronger and better race constitute health 
nursing. 

In China the doctor is paid a yearly salary to keep an individual 
well; when his patient becomes sick he loses a portion of his salary. 
More pride should be taken by the children in keeping well, in doing 
the things for themselves and others that will continually strengthen 
the Body House. 

In the fall of the school year and in the spring each member of the 
Junior Auxiliary may own a fly swat, either of his own make or one 
which he has been able to bring from home, and credit in school work 
can be given for the use of it in the home as well as in the school 
room. The dinner pails can be securely closed or wrapped so that 
the food will be protected from the flies carrying diseases. 

The drinking cups, if these are used, can be inspected and thor- 
oughly cleaned and boiled, by the members. Where bubblers are in- 
stalled in the schoolrooms, each member may guard against letting his 
lips encircle the bubbler as he drinks, the bacteria of the mouth cling- 
ing to the metal and not easily removed. 

Thus the above ideal of the Junior Auxiliary gives you just the right 
opportunity for emphasizing these and many other essential preventive 
means of spread of disease. In studying over the Suggestive Record 
Card system of checking "Health Bank," you will find many sugges- 
tions suitable for all schools. 

Aid in Emergencies 

More than ever before in the history of the world is there need of 
every child in our land being taught elementary measures of aid in 
emergencies. When the boys return to us after the war, many without 
arms, without limbs, blind, deaf, and disabled in many other ways, we 
will feel the great need of having taught our growing boys and girls 
how to avoid accidents and what to do in case of unavoidable emer- 
gencies. 

What boy in your Junior Auxiliary would not be proud to demon- 
strate to you, using his boy chum as a patient, that he knows what to 
do to resuscitate a person rescued from the water? Or how to treat 
a wound? How to administer the common antidotes for poisons? 

Why not give school credit to the boy and the girl in the auxiliary 
for such work and thus add interest to your hygiene study, using this 
new avenue? 

One Junior Auxiliary thought of the making of emergency pails for 
their mothers to hang in their kitchens. The pail contained a roll 
of gauze, some absorbent cotton, an inch wide roll of bandage ma- 
terial, a roll of adhesive tape, small bottle of tincture of iodine, 95%, 
small bottle of alcohol, small jar of vaseline for burns, a pair of scis- 
sors, etc. Was not this making practical application of what had 
been learned? School credit should be given these children for hav- 



JUNIOR RED CROSS WORK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 39 

ing performed a piece of work which would be of immediate service 
in case of an accident in the kitchen or to any member of the family. 
If you will keep a checking system by means of a record card, you 
will obtain greater interest and enthusiasm. Helpful suggestions will 
be obtained for this work under the heading of Suggestive Record 
Card. 



Home Nursing and Dietetics 

There is no book which you can add to your own library or to the 
textbooks on your desk which will give you more help than the Hand- 
book of First Aid, which can be purchased at a small cost. You can 
teach yourself and the children the rudiments of home nursing and 
have a splendid opportunity for intensifying your physiology work. 

Do any of your children's noon lunches indicate that you may study 
the subject of a proper food diet? 

School credit may be given to members of the Junior Auxiliary for 
observing a proper food diet, also making use of the substitutes. When 
boys and girls are taught to observe and put into practice in tlieir 
every day lives these most vital rules of health, you are building strong 
Body Houses which ordinary diseases and hardships can not under- 
mine. 

You will be interested in following up this work in your auxiliary 
and have each pupil check on a record card his progress and how often 
he has tried a certain health project. 



' Preparation of Supplies 

I wish to repeat the last ideal in order that you may more fully real- 
ize the statement made previously in this pamphlet. "The preparation 
of supplies by those who have time and service to give to aid the desti- 
tute, wherever found, in this or other countries." 

The vast amount of work turned out by the schools last year was 
indeed gratifying. It was high class work and very practical and use- 
ful. It was highly educative and it is hoped that much more of this 
work will be given the Uunior Auxiliaries to do this year. It was, 
however, limited too much to just the making of articles and the pay- 
ing of the fees of twenty-flve cents, leaving the highest ideals which 
it represents unemphasized by the teacher. 

I cannot too emphatically urge that you use the opportunity this 
year which this organization affords, and that you will intensify 
your teaching of the ideals for which it stands as a part of the school 
work. During the period of time set apart for this work a portion of it 
can most profitably be used in instruction work embodied in the fore- 
going topics separately discussed in this pamphlet. 



40 ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL SOCIETIES 



Summary of Possibilities 

With this broadei- conception of what the Junior Red Cross Auxil- 
iary stands for, and with the inspiration which both teacher and pupils 
will receive in their regular class work, covering every subject in our 
school curriculum, inasmuch as efficiency is one of its key notes, — 
let us turn next to the organization and management of a Junior 
Auxiliary for your school. 

Pati'iotlsm through Reading 

Inasmuch as the principal aim of the Junior Red Cross is educational 
in its nature, with special reference to patriotic citizenship, the de- 
velopment of patriotic ideals should be given much attention. 

One of the best means of inculcating ideals of true patriotism is by 
the reading of interestingly written lives of such patriots as Washing- 
ington, Lincoln, Grant, and others; and by the reading of history story 
books, historical fiction, patriotic poems, and the like. 

Such reading will be best promoted by having the pupils read under 
the auspices of the Wisconsin Young People's Reading Circle. A wide 
variety of patriotic reading is provided for in the Reading Circle lists 
of books. More good reading will be done in the Reading Circle than 
by any special plan that might be devised for a particular school, and 
with much less expenditure of energy by the teacher. So try to make 
your school a one hundred per cent Reading Circle school as well as 
one hundred per cent in other matters pertaining to the Junior Red 
Cross. 



GENERAL OKGANIZATION SUGGESTIONS 

Only a few suggestions will be given here in a general way for 
organization purposes inasmuch as each Junior Red Cross Auxiliary is 
a part of the American Red Cross and is subject to the regulations 
which that organization sets forth from time to time. 

From the varied experiences of last year, however, we feel that for 
the benefit of the new teachers and those who did not organize, we 
can give a few constructive suggestions which will help you get started 
without loss of time. 

Who Can Join? 

Any public, private, or parochial school can join the Junior Red 
Cross. Then all the boys and girls in the school become members 
of the American Red Cross. 



JUNIOR RED CROSS WORK IN PUBT.IC SCHOOLS 41 



How Can a School Join? 

Fledge 

The school promises (1) to make or grow something for the Red 
Cross, (2) to save by denying themselves something they want but 
do not need. — and (3) to give of what they can earn and save to help 
those who have suffered in this war. 

You will notice that No. 1 may include the sewing work and any 
garden projects. No. 2 may include the W. S. S. work or Thrift so- 
ciety. Thus all the various war activities are embodied in this one 
organization, more detailed suggestions being given in this pamphlet. 

Many schools write their own pledges which makes it more inter- 
esting to those particular schools. This pledge, however, must embody 
the three foregoing principles. Each child signs the pledge. 

When Does the Junior Auxiliary Begm? 

Your Jtmior Auxiliary year begins with your school year, thus giv- 
ing the teacher an opportunity to plan for a year's work. 

Dues 

Each child gives twenty-five cents in money, or its equivalent in ma- 
terial or work. The failure of any child to pay this amount on account 
of impossible home conditions, this being too much for him to give, 
does not deprive him from membership if he takes the pledge. This 
twenty-five cent fee should be earned by the child. He may already 
have earned money which he can give, or he may set about to earn it 
for this purpose. He can deprive himself of candy, gum, or some lux- 
ury; do errands; do some specific work daily for a few cents, thus 
earning it. 

The money must be earned by each individually or by the school as 
a unit if approved by the Chapter School Chairman. 

Expenditure of Dues 

Each School Auxiliary uses its enrollment fund for the purchase of 
materials for its own boys and girls to make into supplies needed by 
the Red Cross. 

Application for Alenibership 

The school makes a formal application for membership to the local 
Chapter or Branch School Committee, showing that it has collected 
the dues or taken the pledge. It then becomes a School Auxiliary of 
the Junior Red Cross. 



42 ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL SOCIETIES 



Chapter School Committee 

Each Junior Auxiliary works under the direction of the Chapter 
School Committee. If there should not be such a committee with its 
chairman, you should apply to your local Red Cross Chapter, asking 
that such a committee with a chairman be appointed. It will be a 
diflBcult matter for your Auxiliary to work eflficiently without the 
assistance and direction of such a committee chairman. 

The above request will receive prompt attention and you will soon 
be able to receive your directions. Do not start work on garments ot 
any kind until you have received your instructions from them. It is 
this committee that knows the needs of the Red Cross at that particu- 
lar time and any promiscuous work which you may do will be lost time 
and a discouragement to the children. 

All of the information which you will need about your Junior Auxil- 
iary work, the Certificate of Enrollment and Red Cross pins, will be 
obtained from this Chapter School Committee. 

Management of Junior Auxiliary Work 

School Time for this Work 

In carefully studying the management of the Junior Auxiliary work 
last year, two methods were used. Some schools worked at no stated 
tinie during the day or week. As soon as the lessons were prepared, 
the Red Cross Work was turned to during the intervening time until 
the next class was called. It is safe to say that it requires an excep- 
tionally strong teacher to conduct the work in this manner, and that 
not only the school class work suffers as a general rule, but also the 
quality of the Red Cross work done. 

Other schools did the Red Cross work at a stated period once a week, 
usually on Friday afternoons, this period covering an hour of time. 
Very fine results were obtained by the latter method in all cases It 
is therefore advisable to use an hour a week at a given time for this 
work, that the very best results and most eflBcient work shall be ac- 
complished in both the class work and this Junior Auxiliary work 

Officers 

Each School Auxiliary should select the following officers: Chair- 
man, Secretary, and Treasurer, if one is desired. The Chairman should 
be the principal of the school, or the teacher if it be a one-room coun- 
try school. 

How to Make Greatest Use of This Time 

Very definite help in conducting a meeting of a school organization 
is given in the first part of this pamphlet. It is not necessary, 
therefore, in this pamphlet to repeat the order of conducting" such a 



JUNIOR RED CROSS WORK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 43 

meeting. A regular monthly meeting of the Junior Auxiliary will 
keep up a vital interest in the work and also teach that portion of the 
regular civics outline as given in the course of study. We will take 
up the regular weekly meeting and the monthly meeting under their 
Individual headings. 

Regular Weeldy Red Cross Period For Country One-Room Scho4)l 

It is desirable to open this period either with the repeating of the 
pledge, the salute to the flag, or a patriotic song by the school. I would 
always make use of a few moments in this way. The work to be 
done should be assorted according to the ability of the children, giving 
the easier tasks to the younger children. 

Your school auxiliary will be given a quota of a certain number of 
one or more articles or kinds of work to do, and a reasonable amount 
will be asked in a given time. The time given will vary according to 
the immediate need for the articles. If It is urgent the request from 
your Chapter Chairman will state it as such. Thus each school will be 
given its portion of the entire amount of work called for by the Red 
Cross at stated times during the year. 

Supervision of Work 

You should carefully direct the children individually as they do this 
work. General directions can be given first and more specific help to 
those needing it. You should consider this just as much a part of your 
teaching work as that of conducting a reading lesson. The best work 
possible from each pupil should be your ideal, and this can be obtained 
only through personal help and constant supervision. It is well for 
the teacher to make a garment herself first, that she may fully appre- 
ciate the difficulties which the child will encounter, and that a model 
sample may be examined by the pupil for imitation. 

After working earnestly for a half hour, the teacher should ask all 
to place their work on their desks and rest five minutes. This time 
the teacher will use in teaching some of the ideals for which the 
Junior Auxiliary stands. It may be hygiene, some interesting patriotic 
story by a boy especially prepared for this day's meeting, or it may be 
some good citizenship lesson in story form. Patriotic songs can be 
sung. Calisthenics can be used. The record cards may be filed during 
this period. 

Suggestive Record Cards 

Experience proves that children can be taught to keep records and 
keep accounts of their own work and that it is surprising to find out 
how much of a certain line of work has been done. This can not be 
known unless records are kept. The one ideal of the Red Cross is 
efficiency and if the habit of keeping an account of various lines of 
work is established among the country boys and girls, the farmers of 



44 



ORGANIZATION OP SCHOOL SOCIETIES 



the coming generation will be keeping farm accounts and household 
accounts just as the merchant keeps his accounts. It was surprising 
to find how few farmers were able to give accurate information last 
year from established records on their farms in reply to the various 
questionaires on seeds, live stock, etc. 







Piiijil' 


•. N a 1110 










.lullii 1 old 






o 


en 

oo 




-=5 


C 


p. 


c 

CD 


o 

p 




J 

' o 


Grade, 6th 
Teacher, Inez Seston 
Address, Mazomanle 
State. Wisconsin. 


Town of 
Berry 

Dist. No. 
1 


o 
o 

o 


_ 












Cleaned back yard at home. 


^ 


H- 












Picked up tin cans along road . 


^_ 


u- 












Cut weeds near sidewalk. 




I^.I 










Picked UD paper on school grounds. 


g 


_ 










Carried wood for Grandma Waters. 


(D 

3 


_ 












Telei>honed neigrhbors about a meeting:. 


I/. 


- 




i 


1 




Mailed maya/ine to soldier boy. 




oo 






l-i 1 re 1 H- 


- 


■-* Entitles me to S 






Total 


8 




£ 




Good Citizenship 


leeds 





The preceding card represents what John Ford did during a week 
as a good citizen. He did one good citizenship deed a day except on 
Wednesday when he did two, "Cutting weeds near sidewalk and pick- 
ing up paper on school grounds." 

This card was made out of an envelope in which John's mother 
had received a letter during the week. One envelope will make two 
such cards, and they can be filed weekly in a school file which can be 
kept in a shoe box if a better one can not be purchased. 

At the end of the month John will have a complete record of Good 
Citizenship deeds, which together with the other children's records 
make a splendid report for the monthly meeting. How proud John 
is of his record, and he has been establishing a habit at the same time! 
Not only that but he is given school credit for actually performing 
deeds which will make him a good citizen. 

In like manner the committee on reports which will be appointed 
new for each monthly meeting, so that several get this practice at a 
time, will go over the "Health Bank" records which can be kept on the 
same form of a card made in the same way. "My Animals and Birds" 
will form a report also for some meeting, giving the actual records as 
kept by the individual pupils. 

And so on, down through the list of ideals, individual records may 
be kept from month to month, and forming just the right nucleus for 
interesting information for a School Auxiliary meeting. 



.H'NIOi; ]M-:i) TKOSS WOMK IN ITJiLIC SCHOOLS 



45 



Month] J .Meeting 

Several days before the monthly meeting the Chairman, who is the 
teacher, appoints a committee to make up the summary for the month's 
work as their arithmetic lesson. This is carefully checked over in 
class by the committee and teacher ready for presentation at this 
meeting. Thus this school has the following report: 

Gun wipes 540 

Refugee garments, dresses 2 

Weight bags 50 

For school credit: 

1. Good citizenship, John Ford 32 deeds 

Health Bank, John Ford 48 

My Birds and Animals, John Ford 16 

Total, John Ford 9g 

2. Good Citizenship, Mary Sands 35 deeds 

Health Bank, Mary Sands 41 « 

My Birds and Animals, Mary Sands 19 " 

Total. Mary Sands '. 95 « 

And so on down the list of pupils until the grand total for the en- 
tire school is reached. This is in itself inspirational and will form 
excellent material for a report at evening community meetings. 

These cards may be made by the older pupils or by the teacher with 
use of a hectograph, making all the cards from the same form. 

Following is the blank form ready for filling out by the pupil for 
any one of the ideals being followed: 





Pupil's 


Vame,.. 

























c 
3 

.... 






7^ 




B 

y 


§ 


►1 

CO 


a 



Grade 


D 
p 


H 








c 
a 


,_ 


Teacher 








Address 








State 




























































































































1 


















1 


Entitles me to 










Week's tota 


1 1 


1 








1 













4() ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL SOCIETIES 

While this is a suggestive form of card, nevertheless, I hope each 
teacher will adopt a checking system as a part of the Junior Auxiliary 
work. 

Tlie Jviud of Work a School Cbaiiter Chairman Wants 

When you have your work ready to send to your Chapter Chairman, 
your committee on "Packing" should take the matter seriously and 
follow the directions given below. 

There should be a list of the contents of the package, stating how 
many of each garment are included. 

The Chapter School Chairman will give instructions for assorting 
into bundles, a certain number in each, and carefully fastening to- 
gether. Only good work should be sent to her. 

Adilitional General Suggestions 
Patriotic Calendar — Special Days 

I would keep this data on my desk and not let the seasonal oppoi 
tunity pass to give some patriotic work in the classes or for opening 
exercises. 

Add such others as you may have brought to your attention during 
the year. 

War Council adopts plan of Junior Red Cross Auxiliary. 

President Wilson's proclamation to children. 

Approximate beginning of Red Cross stamp sale. 

Christmas — advise how to give in war time. 

President •Wilson's birthday — born in 1S56. 

McKinley day. 

Lincoln day. 

Washington day. 

Thirty-sixth Anniversary of American Red Cross. 

National week of song. 

Declaration of war against Germany. 

Appamatomax day. 

Grant day. 

Peace day. 

Italian day. 

Wisconsin's birthday — Seventieth in 1918. 

Memorial day. 

Flag day. 

Independence day. 

Independence day France. 

Ways of Making Money 

1. Gather a "mile," "a rod," or "a yard" of pennies. 
There are 84,480 pennies in a mile. 

2. Sale of foods. 

3. Bamboo knitting needles to sell. 

4. Rubber march. Each child brings some worn-out rubbers, old 
shoes, etc. Leaky hot water bags, or boots. Deposit in the 
established rubber depots. 

5. Sell eggs. 

6. Gather tinfoil — for cheese districts. Deposit in tinfoil depots. 



Sept. 


3. 


Sept. 


15. 


Nov. 


28. 


Dec. 


25. 


Dec. 


28. 


Jan. 


29. 


Feb. 


12. 


Feb. 


22. 


Mar. 


16. 


Apr. 


6. 


Apr. 


19. 


Apr. 


27. 


May 


18. 


May 


24. 


May 


29. 


May 


30. 


June 


14. 


July 


4. 


July 


14. 



JUNIOR RED CROSS WORK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 47 



7. Do errands at home. 

8. Sacrifice some luxury. 

9. Tap maple trees for sap to sell. 

10. School program — Ice cream sale. 

11. Birthday offering by each child. 

12. Beating carpets. 

13. Waxing floors. 

14. Sifting and dumping ashes. 

15. Helping parents. 

16. Cleaning cellars. 

17. Washing windows. 

18. Cleaning silver. 

19. Cutting and sawing wood. 

20. Varnishing chairs. 

21. Tearing down old chicken coops — cutting for firewood. 

22. Cleaning up dooryard. 

23. Caring for neighbor's baby. 

24. Messenger boy. 

25. Selling magazines. 

26. Work in store on Saturdays. 

27. Wait on table. 

28. Wash dishes. 

Add others to this list which may better suit your community. 

Boys' Work in Junior Red Cross Auxiliary 

For the boys who dislike to be girlish: 

.Most important — 

1. Procure a mail box for your school for Uncle Sara's mall. 

Erect post for this box. 

Must be on postman's route. 

Label it with number of school district. 

2. Make knitting needles from wood, bamboo in fish poles. 

o. Checkerboard of wood or oilcloth or wall paper mounted. 

4. Puzzles. 

5. Furniture for camps (where equipment permits). 

6. Packing boxes, following directions. 

7. Garden markers. 

8. Gather corn husks for mats and rugs. 

9. Gather seeds for next year's planting. 

10. Gather milkweed down for pillows. 

11. Collect newspapers to sell. 

12. Collect books and send to public library for soldiers. 

13. Make scrap books (bright pictures — jokes.) 

14. Make splints out of basswood — see directions Red Cross. 

15. Make crutches. 

16. Make hospital trays. 

17. Make canes. 

18. Run errands for local Red Cross chapter. 

Other possible work may be available. Experience shows that boys 
do beautiful sewing, are more conscientious, and more easily taught 
than girls when they have a desire for doing it. 

The above list is given for the boy who can not adjust himself to 
sewing and knitting. A new list of suggestive work for boys will be 
issued at an earlv date by thp Red Cross. 



LIBRPIRY OF CONGRESS 



1 




1 
III 


II 




II 


II 1 


1 111 


lli 


III 


nil 


1 





020 913 350 7. 



V.\6' 



^l^f^l 



Of 



.qVIG' 



.BtSS# 







S^\^ 



'iS^'' 



